How to stop the thumb sucking?

[Dar]

my DS sucked his thumb till he was in grade 1, after JK it was just when he got tired of was sick i just ignored it and he stopped

 

[turtlynne]

I PROMISE she will not be thumb sucking when she walks down the aisle...

 

[ScoobyRoo]

I got lucky. My DD sucked her two middle fingers (middle and ring finger) Her babysitter told her she would not 'paint' those two nails unless she quit sucking her fingers. She quit cold turkey!! She was 4 at the time. AND she had potty trained herself at 24 mos. old. She is my determined kid and a perfectionist

 

[gessieviolet]

turtlynne, don't be too sure about that! One of my daughters had a terrible habit of TS and I jokingly said to her "You'll go down the aisle with your thumb in you mouth." Well, she did not come down the aisle with the thumb in mouth, but I looked back at her JUST BEFORE she started down the aisle, and guess what?!! Yes, she was!!

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
My thoughts exactly!

My daughter is almost 6 and still takes her binkie to bed, I refuse to make a big deal out of it, I don't want to stress her and make her even more needy or anything - in time she'll give it up I'm sure.

My son gave up his binkies at 4 years old.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I think I've heard of a dental appliance specifically to make thumb sucking unappealing?

You can put her in mittens/gloves; you can try noticing when she does and does not such her thumb, and use that for ideas, encourging the activities and behavior that seem to be associated with not sucking her thumb, and gradually removing or reducing those that seem to be associated.

Reward stickers for hours/days when she does not suck her thumb--x number of stickers will get her some sort of prize.

Since the dentist noticed it, ask him/her for more ideas.

 

[fordmommy]

My aunt ignored my cousin's thumb sucking. Everyone in our family had different ideas on how to stop it but my cousin will be 30 in Nov. and she still sucks her thumb at night. Nothing worked. Hot sauce, ginger, reward, punishment.....nothing. Now she has a mouth full of bad, crucked teeth. And she says now it too late. She HAS tried to quit, but it's all habit. She has thought about hypnosis for it. Thinks it may be her last resort.

 

[Julie08]

my mom bought some stuff at the pharmacy years ago that tasted awful (like dandilon juice?) you know the stuff that comes out of the stem when you pick them>?? tastes horrible but I believe it was made for that reason.

 

[horsejody]

My cousin used to be a thumbsucker, even as a teenager. My aunt and uncle couldn't get him to stop. It drove may Dad nuts when he came to vist. One day, Dad dragged him into the bathroom. He stuck my cousin's thumb in the toilet and told him that he would get crapitis if he ever sucked it again. It was a miracle. He was cured.

 

[calicokat]

My DD (11) still sucks her thumb. We've tried everything. It has gotten much less over the years, but when she's tired especially she goes for the thumb. 14 yr old DD has a doll that she holds next to her face and rubs on her cheek or near her mouth. Luckily with that, she can only do it when she has the doll

Unfortunately, the thumb travels!

We expect DD to stop sucking the thumb when she gets into braces in the next year or so. At least, that's what I'm hoping for